In ancient Scotland, the first people to use Conborny as a surname were the Strathclyde- Britons. It was a name someone who lived in the county of Cumberland. On the onset, it is best first to establish that the family name Burns is in fact a Clan rather than a Sept of the Campbell Clan. A Roll of the Clans and Chiefs in 1597 shows the Burns Clan as having territories in the eastern Border marches of Scotland in East Teviotdale. They were described as an unruly Clan. However, to relate the origins of this great Clan, we must go back to the year 1329, when their territories were located in the parish of Glenbervie. They had moved into these lands during the reign of King Edward I of England, from Burneshead, Cumberland, sometime around 1296. Little is known about their previous history, but it is thought that they derived from a race called the Boernicians, a race of early Scots that ruled the north East coast of England as far north as Edinburgh. By 1375, the Clan had extended its territories to include Burnhouse of Kair, Burnside of Monboddo, Bralinmuir and Bon Jordan in Inchbreck, and Bernys in the barony of Renfrew.

Conborny Early Origins

The surname Conborny was first found in Cumberland, where the original name was Burness. Even Robert Burns and his brother both agreed to shorten their name to Burns due to the difficulty in pronunciation by the Gaelic tongue. Later, the name was also spelled Bourne, Burn and even Bernes.

Conborny Spelling Variations

Conborny Spelling Variations

Before the printing press standardized spelling in the last few hundred years, no general rules existed in the English language. Spelling variations in Scottish names from the Middle Ages are common even within a single document. Conborny has been spelled Burns, Burnes, Burness and others.

Conborny Early History

Conborny Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Conborny research. Another 343 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1603, 1851, 1877, 1759, 1796, 1741 and are included under the topic Early Conborny History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Conborny Early Notables (pre 1700)

Conborny Early Notables (pre 1700)

Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Conborny Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Conborny In Ireland

Conborny In Ireland

Some of the Conborny family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

The Great Migration

For Scottish immigrants, the great expense of travel to North America did not seem such a problem in those unstable times. Acres of land awaited them and many got the chance to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. These Scots and their ancestors went on to play important roles in the forging of the great nations of the United States and Canada. Among them: Archibald Burns who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1850; Bernard, Catherine, Charles, Daniel, Edward, George, Henry, James, John, Joseph, all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.

Moncrieffe, Sir Ian of That Ilk and David Hicks. The Highland Clans The Dynastic Origins, Cheifs and Background of the Clans. New York: C.N. Potter, 1968. Print.

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The Conborny Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Conborny Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.